HHS Mandate: Infographic and Statement

HHS Mandate Infographic: What It Means For Your Community | Severe Consequences to Liberty, Health Care and Pocketbooks Heath: “Individuals should be free to decide for herself what kind of health care she wants without asking others to follow a one-size-fits-all prescription.”

Independent Women’s Forum releases a new HHS mandate infographic that explores what the mandate means for communities across the country and the costs that could cripple institutions.

Hadley Heath, Senior Policy Analyst at IWF and manager of HealthCareLawsuits.org, released the following statement:

“This is not a debate about the morality of birth control. It’s is not a debate about women’s health or even religion. This is a debate about whether or not Americans should be free to make their own decisions about deeply personal moral convictions and live in accordance with those convictions.

“It’s no surprise that this issue has created so much controversy and division. This is all the result of government becoming too involved in personal health care decisions.

“The government has no place taking sides in this debate of deeply personal moral convictions. Each individual should be free to decide for herself what kind of health care she wants without asking others to follow a one-size-fits-all prescription.

“The result of all this will be harmful to dissenting organizations – many of which are schools, hospitals, or charities that perform an important role in society. We shouldn’t punish these organizations for serving people outside of their denomination, but this kind of public service should be esteemed and welcomed.

“Furthermore, the HHS mandate comes with consequences for women who do choose to use birth control. When the government makes these drugs available at “no cost,” the truth is that costs will be hidden. This is a great gift to pharmaceutical companies who can now raise prices for patients without their awareness. This will result in higher health insurance premiums for everyone, less innovative in drugs, and ultimately fewer options for women.

“This mandate is nothing to celebrate. Instead we should be realistic about its effects for Americans of all stripes – not just religious people.”

Independent Women’s Forum is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research and educational institution dedicated to expanding the conservative coalition, both by increasing the number of women who understand and value the benefits of limited government, personal liberty, and free markets, and by countering those who seek to ever expand government in the name of protecting women.